Fuwa
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Beijing 2008 Olympic Symbols
The official mascots of the 2008 Beijing Olympics were inspired by the Five Olympic Rings. Named Fuwa in Chinese, or Friendlies in English, these adorable characters have become beloved both home and abroad. They were designed to represent the playfulness of children who form a circle of friends. They five mascots represent four of China's living animal treasures, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow, the Fish, and the Olympic Flame. The Olympic Mascots' names are very special. They are; Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini. Together they write Beijing Huanying Ni, which means "Beijing welcomes you". Each character represents one of the Olympic Rings and this can be seen in their color. Their individual headdresses represent the five elements of nature, the sea, the forest, fire, the earth and the sky. They were unveiled to the world on November 11th, 2005 in Beijing's Workers' Gymnasium exactly 1,000 days before the Olympics' Opening Ceremony.
2008 Olympic Mascots
A set of five doll mascots -- Fuwa, for the 2008 Olympic Games were unveiled in Beijing on November 11, exactly 1,000 days before the event's opening ceremony. The long-anticipated mascots, which embody the natural characteristics of four of China's popular animals -- the Fish (L), the Panda (2nd, L), the Tibetan Antelope (2nd, R), the Swallow (R)-- and the Olympic Flame (C), were presented at a grand ceremony inside the Workers' Gymnasium in Beijing. The Official Mascots of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration, the five Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and peace--and blessings from China--to children all over the world. Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, the five Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China's most popular animals--the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow--and the Olympic Flame. In China's traditional culture and art, the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life. The ornamental lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the past. Among the five Fuwa, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring. Each of the Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name -- a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow. When you put their names together -- Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni--they say "Welcome to Beijing," offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of the five Fuwa as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games. The five Fuwa also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations of people from every part of the vast country of China. In their origins and their headpieces, you can see the five elements of nature--the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky--all stylistic rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation. Spreading Traditional Chinese Blessings Wherever They Go In the ancient culture of China, there is a grand tradition of spreading blessings through signs and symbols. Each of the five Fuwa symbolizes a different blessing --and will honor this tradition by carrying their blessings to the children of the world. Prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck will be spread to every continent as the five Fuwa carry their invitation to Beijing 2008 to every part of the globe. At the heart of their mission -- and through all of their work -- the five Fuwa will seek to unite the world in peace and friendship through the Olympic spirit. Dedicated to helping Beijing 2008 spread its theme of One World, One Dream to every continent, the five Fuwa reflect the deep desire of the Chinese people to reach out to the world in friendship through the Games -- and to invite every man, woman and child to take part in the great celebration of human solidarity that China will host in the light of the flame in 2008.
BEIJING 2008 MASCOTS
BEIBEI, JINGJING, HUANHUAN, YINGYING, NINI NAME Each name rhymes by repeating the same syllable: a traditional Chinese way of showing affection to children. Linking the five names forms the sentence “Welcome to Beijing” (Bei Jing Huan Ying Nin). The mascots form the “Fuwa”, which translates as “good-luck dolls”. DESCRIPTION The mascots correspond to the five natural elements and, apart from Huanhuan, to four popular animals in China. Each mascot represents the colour of one of the five Olympic rings. Each also bears a wish, as it was traditional in ancient Chinese culture to transmit wishes through signs or symbols. Beibei the fish is a reference to the element of water. She is blue and her wish is prosperity. The waves on her head are based on a design in traditional Chinese painting. Jingjing the panda represents the forest. He is black and his wish is happiness. Porcelain paintings from the Song dynasty (960-1234 AD) were the inspiration for the lotus flowers on his head. Yingying, the Tibetan antelope, represents earth. He is yellow and his wish is good health. Decorative elements from Western China appear on his head. Nini, the swallow, represents the sky. She is green and her wish is good luck. Her design is inspired by those on Chinese kites. Swallow is pronounced “Yan” in Chinese, and an ancient name for Beijing was “Yanjing”. Huanhuan symbolises fire and the Olympic spirit. His red colour transmits the passion of sport. Dunhunag grotto art inspired the decoration on his head, together with certain traditional good-luck designs. CREATOR Han Meilin DID YOU KNOW? The Organising Committee invited graphic designers and communications agencies all over the world to send their suggestions for mascots for the Games and attracted more than 3,000 submissions. A series of 100 cartoon episodes entitled “The Olympic Adventures of Fuwa” was shown on more than 100 television channels throughout China, on the public transport system in Beijing and on China?s nationwide rail TV networks.
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1 Fuwa also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations of people from every part of the vast country of China.
2 Each of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name- a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China.
3 Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China's most popular animals- the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow- and the Olympic Flame.